Why Matthijs de Ligt and Marcus Rashford are absent for Man Utd vs Bournemouth

Matthijs de Ligt and Marcus Rashford are both absent from Manchester United’s squad to face Bournemouth this weekend.

Manchester United return to Old Trafford to play Bournemouth in the Premier League as they aim to move closer to the Champions League qualification spots.

Last weekend, the Reds put on a stellar display, securing a surprise victory over rivals Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

Now, they face a challenging matchup against high-flying Bournemouth, who currently eighth sixth. A win would allow United to overtake them in the table and edge closer to that desired top-four spot.

However, Andoni Iraola’s side have been outstanding this season and will present a tough challenge for a United side still finding their footing under Amorim’s guidance.

Why De Ligt and Rashford are absent for United

United’s squad was confirmed for the affair, with the likes of Joshua Zirkzee, Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes in the team.

However, Matthijs de Ligt and Marcus Rashford are not involved in the game after they both missed the last game in the Carabao Cup against Tottenham Hotspur.

De Ligt was ill for that game and it has been reported that this is the reason for his absence once again. Harry Maguire starts in his place.

Meanwhile, this is the third game in a row that Rashford has missed out on following the release of an interview where he admitted to be open to leaving the club.

The striker has also been ill during this period as well, departing the Carrington training ground early last week.

However, it has been claimed that the decision to leave him out of the squad has come down to ‘selection’ once again from Amorim.

Ahead of the game, Amorim told Sky Sports: “Matta [De Ligt] is still sick, and Harry, we just saved him from that game [Thursday], because he did the first 90 minutes for a long time [at City] and we have to be careful with this kind of player.

“Josh [Zirkzee] he did really well in the last game and we need fresh legs. [André] Onana returns to the Premier League, so everything has a purpose and we are ready for this game.” 

Have we seen the last of Rashford in a United shirt?

With just three more games before the January transfer window opens, it seems like we might have seen the last of Rashford in a United shirt.

The 27-year-old and the club seem to be on the same page, that an exit is best for both parties.

“It’s getting to a point you leave him out three games on the bounce, something really has gone wrong,” Gary Neville said on Sky Sports. “I suspect it’s getting to the point of the journey where it’s an inevitable ending.”

Read More: Manchester United told three reasons why Marcus Rashford wants exit, one is their fault

A mid-season exit still looks complicated, however, and you cannot simply leave him out of the team for half a season if a move does not occur.

Maybe a loan like the one which saw Jadon Sancho return to Borussia Dortmund last season could be the ultimate solution to a sad ending at Old Trafford for the player.

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